ISLAMABAD           -       With the controversies continue to surround the investigation of November 3 gun attack on former prime minister Imran Khan in Wazirabad area of Punjab, the federal government in a surprising move has separately constituted a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the incident of firing on the convoy of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The development came at a time when Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi has taken oath of his office a day earlier after his predecessor Chaudhry Parvez Elahi dissolved the provincial assembly. The Ministry of Interior has formed the JIT under Section 19 (1) of the AntiTerrorism Act (ATA), 1997 after formal approval of the federal cabinet.

The ministry notification issued on weekend (January 22) says that Inspector General (IG) Railways Police Rao Sardar Ali Khan will head the JIT, while Deputy Inspector General of Punjab Police Kamran Adil along with representatives of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) would be is members. The directors general (DGs) of all three intelligence agencies would nominate their respective members. A day earlier, the Punjab Government had also reconstituted the provincial JIT for the fourth time by removing four of its members.

The decision was taken after differences had emerged between JIT head Lahore Capital City Police Officer Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, and the other four members of the team. Following the allegation levelled by members of the joint investigation team (JIT) — tasked to probe the assassination attempt on the life of the PTI chairman Imran Khan in Wazirabad — on its head and Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, the probe body had been reconstituted once again a day earlier.